1

Laboratory Respirator

Protection Level Testing (LRPL)

Alex G. Pappas

Mask Fit Test Facility Manager

SBCCOM

2

Purpose

To evaluate respirator protective

equipment (RPE) for military

and civilian applications

requiring protection against

nuclear, biological and

chemical (NBC) warfare agents

3

Civilian CB

Protection Programs

Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program

(CSEPP)

Emergency responders

Chemical Agent Safety and Health Policy Action

Committee (CASHPAC)

Federal workers and contractors at U.S. Army research and

storage facilities

Domestic Preparedness Program (Counter Terrorism)

National, state, and local emergency responders

Technical Support Working Group (TSWG) on Counter

Terrorism

Federal law enforcement personnel

4

Laboratory Respirator

Protection Level Testing (LRPL)

“Joint Service Standardization Agreement for Fit

Factor Testing of Military Masks”, 1 Oct 91

(approved 8 Apr 92)

“Protection Factor Testing of Respirators and Suit

Ensembles”; Internal test protocol based on

standardization agreement

Relevant Test Standards and Protocols

5

Authority / Regulations

29 CFR 1910.134

AR 11-34

AR 50-6

AR 385-61

DA PAM 385-61

TB MED 502

DA PAM 40-8

ANSI Z88-2.1992

6

Test Items - NBC

Concepts

Each company would provide a minimum of

16 respirators (good quality) for testing.

Providing fewer respirators for testing will

increase costs.

Each company would submit donning and sizing

instructions.

7

Anthropometrics

A minimum of 32 different data points will be

generated from PF testing (statistically significant

sample).

Face length and face width will be measured (neck

dam mask - neck circumference).

Test subjects will be chosen based on

anthropometrics.

8

9

Aerosol Challenge

Corn oil

Concentration of 20 to 40 mg/m^3

Particle size of .4 to .6 microns (MMAD)

The geometric standard deviation be less than 2.0

Temperature 70F, Humidity 20%

10

LRPL Testing Concepts

Subject trained and fit for each respirator model

(contractors can witness testing)

Each subject will self-don prior to testing

Joint Service standard ten-one minute exercise

routine

Oral-nasal sampling

Sampling rate of 2 to 5 lpm.

11

LRPL Exercise Routine

Normal Breathing

Deep Breathing

Turn head side to side

Turn head up and down

Recite the rainbow passage

Climb stairs or sight rifle

Reach for the floor or ceiling

On hands and knees, turn head side to side

Facial expressions

Normal breathing

12

Instrumentation

Rear- light scattering photometers or equivalent

Capable of measuring 100,000 PF

Real-time measurement

13

Protection Level

Expression of performance based on the ratio of

concentration outside the mask to concentration

inside the mask, or

( Co / Ci ) = PL

Example: 1000 ppm /1.0 ppm = 1000

In other words, the air inside the mask is 1000 times

cleaner than the outside air

14

15

Typical PL Data Chart

0.0 0 .00% 100.0%

10.0 1 2.08% 97.9%

50.0 0 2.08% 97.9%

100.0 1 4.17% 95.8%

150.0 0 4.17% 95.8%

200.0 0 4.17% 95.8%

500.0 1 6.25% 93.8%

1667.0 2 10.42% 89.6%

2000.0 0 10.42% 89.6%

3000.0 0 10.42% 89.6%

5000.0 4 18.75% 81.3%

6667.0 2 22.92% 77.1%

10000.0 3 29.17% 70.8%

20000.0 4 37.50% 62.5%

50000.0 3 43.75% 56.3%

100000.0 27 100.00% 0.0%

PF Frequency Cumulative% Pass Rate